Three Nurses Sue Washington Square Healthcare Center in Warren, Ohio, Over Alleged Retaliation After Reporting Stolen Narcotics and Insulin Shortages

Three licensed practical nurses have sued Washington Square Healthcare Center in Warren, Ohio, alleging they were suspended or fired after reporting stolen resident narcotics and insulin shortages and speaking with Ohio Department of Health (ODH) inspectors.

Marilyn Hazlerig, Miranda Curtin and Leeanne Shafer filed the lawsuit in the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas. The case is Miranda Curtin, et al. v. Harbor Operator LLC d/b/a Washington Square Healthcare Center, et al., Case No. 2026 CV 02786. It names the nursing home, affiliated companies and current or former administrators as defendants. Plaintiffs’ counsel, The Chandra Law Firm, announced the filing on October 8, 2026.

These are allegations in a complaint. They have not been proven in court, and the defendants have not yet responded in the sources reviewed for this article.

Washington Square Healthcare Center Lawsuit: Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Plaintiffs	Marilyn Hazlerig, LPN; Miranda Curtin, LPN; Leeanne Shafer, LPN
Defendants	Harbor Operator LLC d/b/a Washington Square Healthcare Center; AOM Healthcare LLC and related affiliated entities; and individual current or former administrators, including former Director of Nursing Dana Stevenson, RN, Stephanie Pappas, LPN, and Regional Director of Operations Aaron Hetrick, as named by plaintiffs’ counsel
Court	Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas, Ohio
Case number	2026 CV 02786
Filed	October 2026 (announced October 8, 2026)
Facility	Washington Square Healthcare Center, Warren, Ohio
Plaintiffs’ lawyers	The Chandra Law Firm LLC and co-counsel
Main claims	Retaliation under Ohio R.C. 3721.24 and R.C. 4113.52; civil liability for criminal acts under R.C. 2307.60; civil conspiracy
Case type	Individual lawsuit. Not a class action
Claim form or deadline	None
Status	Newly filed. No ruling on the allegations

Is the Washington Square Healthcare Center Lawsuit a Class Action?

No. This is an individual civil lawsuit brought by three named nurses. No class has been certified, and there is no settlement, claim form or filing deadline for other Washington Square employees, residents or families under this case.

What Do the Nurses Allege Against Washington Square Healthcare Center?

According to the complaint as described by the plaintiffs’ attorneys, the three nurses raised separate patient-safety concerns during their employment. The allegations fall into three episodes.

Marilyn Hazlerig Alleges She Was Fired After Reporting Stolen Narcotics

Hazlerig, described as a 12-year employee, allegedly began reporting suspected theft of residents’ narcotic medication in November 2025. She also allegedly reported a state-tested nursing assistant for leaving incontinent residents without hygiene care for extended periods.

Plaintiffs’ counsel states that an ODH inspection later determined at least 36 doses of hydrocodone-acetaminophen were taken from one resident over about four months.

Before a March 2026 ODH inspection, the lawsuit alleges the Director of Nursing pressured Hazlerig to sign a statement saying facility staff did not know about the theft, and threatened her license. Hazlerig allegedly refused and reported the matter to state authorities. The lawsuit says she was fired on April 13, 2026, on what she characterizes as a pretextual basis.

Miranda Curtin and Leeanne Shafer Allege They Were Fired After Discussing Insulin Shortages With ODH Inspectors

Curtin and Shafer allege that Washington Square ran out of insulin supplies, including a shortage lasting about a week, and that nurses were forced to share or borrow insulin between residents. They allege shortages occurred in January and May 2026.

When ODH inspectors arrived on May 19, 2026, the lawsuit says both nurses discussed the shortage with them. The complaint alleges they were suspended that same day and fired three days later. They further allege that administrators denied the shortages to inspectors and that other nursing staff who acknowledged similar practices were not disciplined.

Leeanne Shafer Alleges She Was Told Not to Chart a Resident’s Leg Injury

Shafer alleges that on March 14, 2026, she found an elderly resident with a serious leg injury and was instructed not to document it in the electronic medical record. She allegedly refused, charted it, contacted the resident’s medical provider, arranged hospital treatment and notified the family. Hospital X-rays later showed a nondisplaced tibia fracture.

The lawsuit further alleges that an administrator later created a backdated chart entry about the injury, and that Shafer was pressured to sign a false statement about family notification.

What Did Ohio Department of Health Inspections Find at Washington Square Healthcare Center in 2026?

Public CMS-linked records, as shown in ProPublica’s Nursing Home Inspect database, list 63 deficiencies in Washington Square’s inspection history as of July 2026. The record identifies it as a for-profit, limited-liability-company-operated facility with 83 certified beds.

The 2026 complaint inspections recorded:

• March 25, 2026: 9 deficiencies, including findings on resident rights, medical records and resident care.
• April 20, 2026: 7 deficiencies, including resident injuries, medication errors, medical records and appropriate treatment.
• May 29, 2026: 10 deficiencies, including medication errors, investigation of suspected abuse, neglect or theft, medical records and infection control.

The Chandra Law Firm says the March investigation involved narcotics misappropriation and abuse or neglect concerns, and that the May investigation cited the facility for failing to timely investigate insulin-related allegations and failing to administer insulin to accepted professional standards.

Inspection deficiencies are regulatory findings. The nurses’ retaliation claims are separate allegations that a court must decide. A citation does not by itself prove that any nurse was unlawfully fired.

How Does Ohio Revised Code Section 3721.24 Protect Nursing Home Whistleblowers?

The lawsuit’s central claim arises under Ohio Revised Code Section 3721.24, which protects people who report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation or misappropriation of resident property in nursing homes. The law bars retaliation against an employee or other covered person who, in good faith, reports or states an intent to report such conduct, provides information in a state investigation, or takes part in related proceedings. Prohibited retaliation includes discharge, demotion, transfer and other adverse employment actions.

The statute provides a civil cause of action. A court may award damages and injunctive relief, and may award court costs and reasonable attorney’s fees to a prevailing party.

The complaint also invokes Ohio Revised Code Section 4113.52, Ohio’s general whistleblower statute, and Ohio Revised Code Section 2307.60, which allows civil recovery for injury caused by certain criminal acts. The plaintiffs cite alleged falsification, tampering with records, retaliation and witness intimidation, plus civil conspiracy.

The nurses must still prove the elements of each claim. Filing under a whistleblower statute does not establish that retaliation occurred.

What Happens Next in the Washington Square Healthcare Center Lawsuit?

The defendants will have the opportunity to answer the complaint or move to dismiss. If the case proceeds, the next stages are likely to include motions, discovery into employment records, resident-care records, inspection materials and communications, and, absent an earlier resolution, trial in the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas. Filings are available through the Trumbull County Clerk of Courts.

What Should Washington Square Healthcare Center Residents and Families Do?

The lawsuit does not mean every resident was improperly treated or that every allegation is true. Still, a newly filed whistleblower case alongside multiple 2026 inspection findings makes the facility’s regulatory history relevant to families.

Families with concerns can keep records of injuries, medication problems, unexplained changes in condition and communications with staff, request medical and incident records, and report suspected abuse or neglect to the Ohio Department of Health or the Ohio long-term care ombudsman. Employees who believe they faced similar retaliation may wish to consult an attorney promptly, because statutes of limitations apply.

For a broader explanation of warning signs, evidence and legal options, see AllAboutLawyer’s guide: Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit: Signs, Evidence and How to Sue.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Washington Square Healthcare Center Nurses Lawsuit

Did three nurses sue Washington Square Healthcare Center in Ohio?

Yes. According to plaintiffs’ counsel, Marilyn Hazlerig, Miranda Curtin and Leeanne Shafer filed Curtin, et al. v. Harbor Operator LLC d/b/a Washington Square Healthcare Center, et al., Case No. 2026 CV 02786, in the Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas.

What are the nurses alleging against Washington Square Healthcare Center?

They allege retaliatory suspension and termination after reporting stolen narcotics, insulin shortages and an unreported resident injury, along with pressure to give false statements and alter records.

Did Ohio inspectors cite Washington Square Healthcare Center in 2026?

Yes. Public records show complaint inspections with deficiency citations on March 25, April 20 and May 29, 2026, with 9, 7 and 10 deficiencies respectively.

When were the Washington Square nurses fired?

The lawsuit alleges Hazlerig was fired on April 13, 2026, and that Curtin and Shafer were suspended on May 19, 2026, and fired three days later.

Has a court ruled that Washington Square Healthcare Center retaliated against the nurses?

No. The case is newly filed, and the allegations remain unproven.

Can other Washington Square employees or residents join the Curtin lawsuit?

Not automatically. It is not a class action. Others would need to evaluate any claims of their own with an attorney.

Which Ohio law protects nursing home whistleblowers?

Ohio Revised Code Section 3721.24 prohibits retaliation against covered individuals who report suspected nursing-home abuse, neglect, exploitation or misappropriation in good faith, or who take part in related state investigations.

Sources

• The Chandra Law Firm: Three nurses sue Washington Square Healthcare Center
• Ohio Revised Code § 3721.24
• Ohio Revised Code § 4113.52
• Ohio Revised Code § 2307.60
• Washington Square Healthcare Center inspection history, ProPublica Nursing Home Inspect
• Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas

The nurses’ allegations are now before a court, and they follow three state complaint inspections at the Warren facility in 2026. The key question is whether the nurses can show their suspensions and firings were retaliation for protected whistleblower activity rather than legitimate employment decisions.

Disclaimer: For informational purposes only; not legal advice. Allegations in a lawsuit are claims, not findings of fact.

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts checked against the plaintiffs’ counsel’s published announcement, the Ohio Revised Code and ProPublica’s Nursing Home Inspect records, as of October 8, 2026. Last Updated: October 8, 2026.